There are over 3000 varieties of pears. Barletts are the
most popular followed by Bosc, Anjou, Comice and Asian.
They are a good source of Vitamin C and Fiber. Pears continue
to ripen once they are picked and they do so from the inside
out. Bartletts change color as they ripen but for other
varieties try these picking tips. Look for firm flesh with
little or no blemishes. A good indicator of ripeness is
the stem end. If it gives to slight pressing you have a
ripe pear. If not, take your pears home and place them in
a brown paper bag to facilitate the ripening process. It
is believed that pears were eaten as far back as the Stone
Age. They were brought to America in 1620 and today are
grown primarily in California and Washington.
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